Volume 19, Chapter 172.1: Ambush, and the Mysterious Metallic Man
Four separate bursts of light appeared in four different directions; they all appeared in locations that were densely packed with researchers.
The explosion came too suddenly, resulting in the soul engineers near them having almost no chance to react. At least a hundred soul engineers were immediately vaporized by the explosions. Hundreds of tables were ripped apart by the terrifying explosion, and bits of metal flew everywhere like a horrifying wave of shrapnel. Cries of pain mixed with the smell of blood. Under the terrifying explosion, these shot everywhere.
The terrifying explosion even caused the ground to shake. In the huge underground facility, over one-third of all personnel were either injured or killed.
Huo Yuhao was a relatively new entrant, as he had been in there for less than half a year. Hence, his table was located near the periphery, and not at the center of the explosion.
Even so, the powerful shockwave from the explosions pushed him and his table back by over 10 meters.
The survival instincts of the soul engineers manifested themselves at this moment. One-third of all soul engineers were affected, but only a few hundred were killed, mainly from the initial blast. Every soul engineer from the Illustrious Virtue Hall activated their protective soul tools, which helped to mitigate the effects of the explosion. While many were severely injured, the number of deaths was still under control.
After the explosion, black shadows emerged from the ground. These people were clad entirely in black, and were extremely agile. When they appeared, they started a killing spree in all four directions.
Looking from the sky, one would discover that a hole about 10 meters wide had appeared at the location of each of the explosions. These men in black emerged from these holes. Not only were they prepared, but they were also very powerful. Immediately, they turned the place into a slaughterhouse.
While Huo Yuhao hid underneath his table, his spiritual detection was still active. He never expected that a place like the Illustrious Virtue Hall, which possessed such tight security and defenses, would be attacked. The power of these people was beyond his imagination.
Among them, none seemed to be below the level of a Soul Sage. The moment they appeared, they revealed their martial soul true bodies and started a wild massacre.
It would be hard to assemble a team like this, even in Shrek Academy!
Quickly, Huo Yuhao discovered something. Because these men in black were so powerful, they inadvertently revealed their weaknesses.
When Huo Yuhao triangulated his spiritual detection on the right shoulder of one of the men in black, the man’s power suddenly increased 10 times. He was then able to pulverize a Grade 5 soul engineer who was just about to fire a soul tool at him. At this moment, Huo Yuhao understood their origins.
Body Sect. They were from the Body Sect. However, why would they suddenly attacking the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy? And the Illustrious Virtue Hall?
Were they mad?
However, regardless of what he thought right now, there was no way he could leave. These people from the Body Sect did not care about anything else. The moment they entered, they started their killing spree without a second thought.
After a short while, hundreds of soul engineers lay in pools of blood on the floor. While the soul engineers had started to counter-attack, the people from the Body Sect were more powerful than they had expected. Among them, there were at least 10 of them with the power of a Titled Douluo. How could their soul tools resist?
Furthermore, all these people wanted to do was destroy. In their hands, the precious tables were ripped apart like scrap. After a short while, the cost of the damage they had done was unthinkable.
However, Huo Yuhao took solace in the knowledge that He Caitou and Teacher Fan Yu were both not there. They had followed a bunch of students from the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy out to test their soul tools. If not, he would not be able to just hide there.
However, he could not do this forever. Who knew when men the from Body Sect would come over to his table? While Huo Yuhao was confident in his own abilities, his opponents were Soul Sages! A Soul Sage from the Body Sect was more powerful than a Soul Sage from other places. He could not beat them.
Damn it! If they came, how could I escape?
As he thought about that, Huo Yuhao’s two hands had already turned into the Ice Empress’ Pincers. His right hand released his Darkgolden Terrorclaw as he tapped the floor underneath him forcefully.
While the floor was covered with a metal layer about 17 centimeters thick, it was soon torn apart by his sharp Darkgolden Terrorclaw. Using both of his hands, he dug furiously at the ground underneath him. Soon, he made an indent. Huo Yuhao then used his strength to tilt his table. Coordinating with his Darkgolden Terrorclaw, the table soon fell over flat on the ground, covering the indent in the ground that he had dug. Unless someone flipped this table over, they would be unable to discover his presence.
Huo Yuhao lay in the hole in the ground, unmoving. He breathed through a tiny slit between the table and the ground. He used his Spiritual Detection to sense the situation outside.
As the most powerful research facility for soul tools on the continent, the Illustrious Virtue Hall was not so easily defeated. After a short moment of panic, a piercing alarm sounded, and the Hall’s counterattack began.
A huge soul tool appeared from the domed ceiling. This soul tool was in the shape of a screw, and about 5 meters long. At its thickest, it was about 2 meters wide, and a purplish-blue light started to swirl around it. Then, from its pointy end, it began to shoot rays of purple light at the Body Sect invaders, as if it had eyes.
When it started, the Body Sect invaders treated it as if it were nothing. They tried to resist it using their powerful soul power. However, they soon realized that something was amiss.
The purple light which came from the roof gave off a terrifying current. While they were able to avoid being injured by the current, they were unable to shake off the paralysis the current caused. A Titled Douluo was struck by at least 10 rays of purple light, causing him to be pinned to the ground.
The soul engineers, who had been on the verge of retreat before this, vigorously counterattacked. Soon, the Body Sect began to take casualties too.
At this moment, a figure dashed through the sky and was soon suspended in mid-air. Pursued by countless rays of purple light, his boy shone like an illusory shadow. However, not a single ray of purple could land on him.
Then, the domed ceiling turned green. Under the terrifying green light, all of the soul tools on the domed ceiling melted.
“Go.” The figure stabilized himself in mid-air and waved his hands. Instantly, the green liquid started to fly in the direction of the soul engineers.
“Du Busi, how dare you!” A voice resounded. A film of red light suddenly started to spread as it blocked the green liquid.
From the depths of the Hall, dozens of figures zoomed out. Leading them was Jing Hongchen.
When Jing Hongchen saw the carnage underneath him, his eyes almost popped out of his head in rage. Since the establishment of the Illustrious Virtue Hall, it had never experienced carnage like this before. Everywhere he looked, he could see the corpses of soul engineers.
On a battlefield, he was confident in his ability to destroy the Body Sect invaders with his soul engineers from the Illustrious Virtue Hall. However, their attack came too suddenly. Furthermore, the Illustrious Virtue Hall was a few hundred meters underground. Not only did outsiders not know of its location, but they shouldn’t even know how to penetrate it! Who could have thought that the Body Sect would chose the dumbest, but most effective, way? They dug a tunnel from an unknown location, and then attacked its most vulnerable spot and broke through its defenses.
The black-robed man in mid-air appeared to not have heard Jing Hongchen’s words as he said coldly, “Kill!”
The black-robed man who had just destroyed a large amount soul tools was naturally the leader of the Body Sect, Du Busi. However, since he had brought the black-robed men here, he would not reveal his identity, even if everyone knew who he was.
Jing Hongchen also roared in rage. “Spare no one!” As he said that, a powerful red light shot out from his body. Behind him, a metallic light that resembled red lotuses spun rapidly and came together. In a split second, thousands of slender, red rods were aimed at the sky.
A red helmet appeared on Jing Hongchen’s head, a metallic mask covered his face, and countless rays of red light flew rapidly towards the leader of the Body Sect.
The other powerful members of the Illustrious Virtue Hall who accompanied Jing Hongchen revealed their soul tools as well. They attacked the Body Sect vigorously as both sides clashed head-on. Instantly, soul power brimmed in the underground space, rocking it with the sounds of explosions.
Huo Yuhao felt his heart thumping rapidly in his chest. This was the first time he had seen something like this.
Why did the Body Sect attack the Illustrious Virtue Hall so brazenly? Could it be for the benefit of the three countries on the Douluo Continent? Impossible! According to what teacher had said, the Body Sect only cared about its own interests. Everything it did was for its own interests. Right now, they had made themselves enemies of the Illustrious Virtue Hall. What benefits could they reap?
Huo Yuhao wracked his brain, but he couldn’t think a reason for it. All he cared about right now was his own safety.